Winter brings its own set of safety and health issues for older adults. Staying warm, safe inside, and taking precautions can make winter challenges not so overwhelming.

“Something as simple as a fall can be devastating for older men and women,” says Dr. Evelyn Granieri, director of the Division of Geriatrics at New York–Presbyterian Hospital/The Allen Pavilion.

Dr. Granieri offers the following tips for a healthy and safe winter:

• Wear appropriate footwear. Comfortable shoes with anti-slip soles will help you navigate through icy streets. If you use a cane, replace the rubber tip before it wears smooth and becomes slippery on the wet ice.
• Check your smoke alarms. Make sure your smoke alarms are working. If you live in a house rather than an apartment, you should also have carbon monoxide alarms.
• Maintain a comfortable room temperature. Keep your thermostat set to at least 65 degrees to prevent hypothermia. Also, when the temperature remains at 65, even when you are not at home, you can help to prevent freezing pipes by maintaining a sufficient temperature within your walls.
• Check the lighting in your home. Make sure there are no great contrasts from one room to another, because older people have difficulty adjusting to changes in light. High contrasts increase the risk of slips and falls. Also, use night lights, and don’t have loose extension cords lying around—tape them to the floor.
• Take your exercise regimen indoors for the winter, and try to avoid strenuous activities like shoveling snow. If you must use a shovel this winter, warm up your body with a few stretching exercises before you begin and be sure to take frequent breaks throughout.
• Check your rugs. Make sure they are not wrinkled or torn in a way that can trip you. Use padding or special tape underneath them to prevent sliding.
• Maintain your diet and a good level of hydration. Drink at least four or five glasses of fluid every day. This should not change just because it is winter.
• Keep your skin hydrated. Wear more protective creams and lotions to prevent the dry and itchy skin commonly experienced in the colder months when humidity levels are lower.
• Get a programmable phone with emergency numbers entered. Another good idea for older people living alone is a personal emergency response system—a device worn around the neck or on a bracelet that can summon help if needed. Wear this device all the time, and use it.